Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail 元荃古道

Last year in Hong Kong, it was very rare that I was able to visit two trails: one on the Lantau Island, walking from Mui Wo Pier and climbing several hills to Discovery Bay Pier. I spent 5 hours to complete the 6.5km journey. Another is Tsing Yi Natural Trail which is a 3.5km journey in 4-hour walk. This time I returned to Hong Kong and tried the "Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail". This is an ancient trail connecting Tsuen Wan and Sham Tseng  in Yuen Long.
It was a main route for the village folks of the 18 villages in New Territories to transport their village and field products to Tsuen Wan Market. This route was also known as "Silk Road of the 18 Villages". When we talk about "ancient trail", it is very easy to relate it to the "armed escort of merchants' caravans" and "relay station for post horses" in ancient time. We would also think about the famous "Ancient Tea Horse Road" and "Silk Road". "Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail" is unique in viewing the 3 bridges of the Lantau Link at the same time: Ching Ma Bridge, Kap Sui Moon Bridge and Ting Kau Bridge. The route starts at Chai Wan Kok mid-hill at Tsun Wan to enter into the "Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail", getting around Shek Lung Kung hill, passing Sheung Tong, Tin Fu Tsai and going south to Tsing Fai Tong and finally reaching Sham Tseng. The whole route is 8km and required 5.5 hours to complete the journey.

Photo equipment:
Nikon D300s, Nikon GP-1 GPS
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8G IF-ED
iPhone 5

去年在香港，很難得走了兩條山徑：一條在大嶼山，由梅窩碼頭爬過多個山頭到愉景灣碼頭，路程6.5公里，走了五小時。另一條是「青衣自然教育徑」，全長3.5公里，走了四小時。今次返港，嘗試走「元荃古道」，這是連接荃灣至元朗深井的古老山徑，乃昔日新界十八鄉居民將農作物運往荃灣市集販賣的主要通道，也可稱為「十八鄉絲路」。說到「古道」使人聯想古時替人運送貨物的「鏢師」和「驛站」，也想到著名的「茶馬古道」和「絲綢之路」。「元荃古道」的特點是可一次過飽灠青嶼龫線三連橋：青馬大橋、汲水門大橋和汀九橋。行程先由荃灣的柴灣角半山進入「元荃古道」，繞過石龍拱山，經上塘、田夫仔、最後南下清快塘至深井結束。全長8公里，行畢全程約五小時半。

12:30pm: "Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail"  starts at the opposite side of the Kwong On Hospital at Tsuen Wan.
iPhone 5, 4.1mm,  f/2.4, 1/240 sec, ISO 50
元荃古道的起點在荃灣廣安醫院對面

1:24pm: The trail on the hill going higher up but the scene appears much charming.  Ting Kau Bridge is visible on the right in far distant.
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @17mm, f/10, 1/125 sec, ISO 250
山路愈走愈高，眼前的景色是怡人的。右邊遠處可見青馬大橋。

1:34pm: The trail sign points at Tin Fu Tsai.  It requires 2.5 hrs to reach there in 4.5 km.
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @17mm, f/10, 1/50 sec, ISO 250
指示牌指向田夫仔，仍有4.5公里，需時2.5小時。

The sky was gloomy and the hill was full of mists and clouds.
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @22mm, f/10, 1/125 sec, ISO 250
當日天色陰暗，雲霧環繞半山。

1:37pm: Scene of Tsuen Wan city
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @19mm, f/10, 1/500 sec, ISO 250
荃灣市鎮在望

A panoramic view
iPhone 5, 4.1mm, f/2.4, 1/1000 sec, ISO 125 (panorama mode)
全景照

1:45pm: The cement trail goes up to the hill
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @17mm, f/10, 1/25 sec, ISO 250
三合土建成的山路，往山上爬。

Ching Ma Bridge and Ting Kau Bridge are visible with an airplane high above.
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @17mm, f/10, 1/320 sec, ISO 250
遠處是汀九和青馬大橋，一架飛機在上空飛過。

A light rain came
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @38mm, f/10, 1/60 sec, ISO 250
天正下著毛毛細雨

The sky is gloomy, the rain is misty, a traveler in the rain looks very lonely.
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @55mm, f/10, 1/160 sec, ISO 250 (cropped)
天陰陰、雨朦朧、遊人獨自雨中行。

2:10pm: Shek Lung Kung in panorama
iPhone 5, 4.1mm, f/2.4, 1/1000 sec, ISO 125 (panorama mode)
石龍拱全景照

2:37pm: The hills afar look misty in rain
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @38mm, f/10, 1/250 sec, ISO 250
微雨遠山更朦朧

4:00pm: Tin Fu Tsai Campsite in panoram
iPhone 5, 4.1mm, f/2.4, 1/125 sec, ISO 200 (panorama mode)
田夫仔營地全景照

5:12pm: Tsing Fai Tong Village in panoram
iPhone 5, 4.1mm, f/2.4, 1/120 sec, ISO 400 (panorama mode)
清快塘村全景

5:39pm: A close shot of Sham Tseng and Ching Ma Bridge
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @38mm, f/5.0, 1/25 sec, ISO 800
深井和青馬橋近鏡

5:49pm: The way to Sham Tseng in panorama
iPhone 5, 4.1mm, f/2.4, 1/120 sec, ISO 3200 (panorama mode)
深井全景照

5:49pm: Lights appear at Sham Tseng and along Ching Ma Bridge when the evening has come.
Nikon D300s, 17-55mm, f/2.8 @44mm, f/2.8, 1/50 sec, ISO 2000
夜幕低垂，華燈初上的深井和青馬橋。

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